Men's Huddle: Judas, April 12th, 2025

Judas

Good morning, Brothers. The last time that we were together we looked at the 20 Attributes of a Godly leader and how we as men are called to lead in all areas of our lives. Godly leaders are God-made in every sense, and our hearts and lifestyles must be the product of the filling and power of the Holy Spirit. God’s word says we are to lead “willingly” and with a “ready mind.” It requires a full heart devotion and surrender to our Heavenly Father. God wants to use us as leaders for His glory and Kingdom.

Two buddies, Bob and Earl, were two of the biggest baseball fans in America. For their entire adult lives, Bob and Earl discussed baseball history in the winter and they pored over every box score during the season. They went to 60 games a year. They even agreed that whoever died first would try to come back and tell the other if there was baseball in heaven. One summer night, Bob passed away in his sleep after watching the Yankee victory earlier in the evening. He died happy. A few nights later, his buddy Earl awoke to the sound of Bob's voice from beyond. "Bob, is that you?" Earl asked. "Of course it's me," Bob replied. "This is unbelievable!" Earl exclaimed. "So tell me, is there baseball in heaven?" "Well, I have some good news and some bad news for you. Which do you want to hear first?" "Tell me the good news first." "Well, the good news is that, yes, there is baseball in heaven, Earl." "Oh, that is wonderful! So what could possibly be the bad news?" "You're pitching tomorrow night."

This morning, we are going to get back on track with looking at another man of the Bible, our so called Men of the Bible series. I thought as we are coming into Easter that we would spend a couple of Saturday’s looking at men who played key roles in the Easter story. So, this morning we are going to have a look at Judas.Two thousand years later, Judas’s name is still a synonym for betrayal. As one of the Twelve, Judas had been offered a place of honor in the kingdom Jesus promised to establish. But by serving his own vision rather than the Lord’s vision, he became not an instrument of good but an instrument of evil in the story of salvation.

Have you ever tried to hide something from your friends? That's what Judas did—he was like that one friend who pretends everything is fine while secretly munching on the entire pizza! We chuckle at his betrayal, but seriously, how often do we pretend to be loyal while secretly undermining those we care about? Judas teaches us the importance of true friendship and staying loyal, even when the pizza is just too tempting.

His Work: As one of the twelve disciples, Judas’s responsibility was to act as the group’s treasurer.

His Character: John’s gospel indicates that Judas, though chosen by Jesus, was a thief, a man who regularly helped himself to the community purse. Though he would have been on intimate terms with the Lord, he betrayed Jesus by handing him over to the religious authorities, who then had him condemned to death. The motives for his act of treachery have never been clear. His name always appears last in the list of Jesus’ disciples.

His Sorrow: Regretting his decision to hand Jesus over to the religious authorities, Judas hanged himself.

His Triumph: He was a member of Jesus’ inner circle.

Key Scriptures: Matthew 26: 6-16, John 12: 1-8; 13: 1-30; 18: 1-11.

**“Judas” means “praise.” It’s a beautiful name, but Judas wasted it and ruined it for future generations. How many parents name their kids Judas today? “Iscariot” most likely means he was from the town of Carioth. Judas of Carioth was the only one of all the disciples from the southern region of Israel—the educated, wealthy region of the country. So impressive was Judas that the disciples appointed him treasurer.

The story of Judas is one of the saddest and best known in Scripture. A man chosen by Jesus to become part of his inner circle, he was privy to God’s wisdom, power, and love to an unprecedented degree. But Judas valued the privilege so little that he handed Jesus over to his enemies for the paltry sum of thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave. During the Passover meal, Jesus said something that astonished his disciples and sent a chill through the man who was scheming against him: “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” Shortly after that Jesus dipped a piece of bread into a dish and offered it to Judas. Ignoring the plea in Jesus’ eyes, Judas stretched out his hand. At that moment the last of his doubts about the plans he had made vanished. He felt darkness wash over him like an incoming tide, fueling his resolve to do what needed to be done. “What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him. Jesus himself commented on Judas’s situation with a warning Judas failed to heed: “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Judas is a tragic figure. He was called to be one of Christ’s disciples and was named an apostle along with the others (Mark 3:13-19). He received power to heal (Matt. 10:1-4), and he probably used this power. It is not the power to do miracles that is proof of salvation (Matt. 7:21-29), but obedience to God’s Word. In spite of his affiliation with the band of disciples, and his association with Christ, Judas was not a true believer. When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He made it clear that one of them (Judas) was not cleansed (John 13:10-11). Like many professing Christians today, Judas was in the group of believers but not of them. Judas was motivated and energized by Satan (John 13:2, 27), for he never was a true believer in Jesus Christ. His sins had never been cleansed by the Lord (John 13:10-11), and he had never believed and received eternal life (John 6:64-71). Yet none of the other apostles had the least suspicion that Judas was a traitor. We have every reason to believe that Judas had been given the same authority as the other men and that he had preached the same message and performed the same miracles. It shows how close a person can come to God’s kingdom and still be lost (Matt. 7:21-29).

Like many in Israel, Judas had fed himself with dreams of a Messiah, a new David who would one day liberate his people and establish his own kingdom. He had waited and watched, impatient for the man to reveal himself. Carefully he had sifted through the impostors, wanting to believe their impossible claims but too shrewd to do so. Then, before cynicism had a chance to displace his hope, he found the man he was looking for. Jesus was a different kind of rabbi, speaking words that soothed and inflamed Judas, surprising words that constantly threw him off his guard. Judas loved the way he stood up to the religious elite, likening the Pharisees to whitened tombs full of dead men’s bones. But it wasn’t only the words that impressed him. It was the power. Here was a man who healed the lame and made the blind see, and even raised the dead to life. Judas had seen such things with his own eyes. To serve such a man, he thought, would be to insure one’s own place in the coming kingdom. So Judas had become the group’s treasurer, entrusted to administer the money that supported Jesus and his twelve disciples.

Judas’s hunger for action grew stronger as large crowds began following Jesus—men and women from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan. But instead of using his popularity to build a political movement strong enough to unseat the Romans, Jesus spoke to the crowds in ways incomprehensible to Judas: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Judas tried to take it all in, but he couldn’t stop wondering what kind of king would speak such words to his followers. How could a great man’s throne ever be established through talk of meekness and peacemaking?

Besides power, Judas had a fondness for money, as much money as he could get his hands on without drawing attention. One day he became indignant watching a woman pour perfume over Jesus’ head. Thinking only of what he could do with the money the perfume would have brought, he scolded her: “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and given to the poor.” And Jesus rebuked him and he felt betrayed. Men, sometimes we all need to face some rebuke or correction for our own good. It is never easy, but at times necessary. Do not look at it as an attack but as an opportunity for change. We all have blind spots that we can’t see about ourselves and we need the perspective of another. There are always times to put your ego aside so you can grow.

Judas, even with all that he experienced with Jesus and the disciples, could not get over himself. So he concocted a scheme whereby he would betray Jesus to the high priests, who promised him thirty pieces of silver as a reward for his treachery. Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over. If Jesus and his followers failed to act, if they failed to seize their moment of destiny, so be it. It was a risk Judas was willing to take. If he succeeded, a kingdom would be won. If not, he would at least be a little bit richer. Here is a classic example of keeping one’s eyes fixed on self. Men of God, I often wonder how I betray Jesus in my Kingdom walk.

Under cover of darkness (where Satan lurks), Judas led a detachment of soldiers and Jewish officials to an olive grove on the other side of the Kidron Valley, the place where Jesus and his disciples had retired after the Passover meal. There he betrayed the Lord with a kiss, saying, “Greetings, Rabbi!” Then he watched as the soldiers bound Jesus and led him away. If Judas intended his act of betrayal to be the spark that ignited the revolution, he must have been disappointed. There was no great uprising, no crowds clamoring for Jesus’ release, no miracles from heaven to establish the Messiah on his throne. The next morning brought with it only the grim news that Jesus had been beaten, handed over to Pontius Pilate, and condemned to death. Suddenly Judas felt overwhelmed by a tide of grief so great it swept away his previous certainty. Flinging the thirty pieces of silver—blood money now—into the temple, he went out and hanged himself.

Why did Judas follow Jesus for three years, listen to His Word, share His ministry, and then turn traitor? One thing is certain: Judas was not the victim of circumstances or the passive tool of providence. It was prophesied that one of Messiah’s close associates would betray Him, (Ps. 41:9; 55:12-14), but this fact does not relieve Judas of responsibility. We must not make him a martyr because he fulfilled this prophecy. While we can never fully understand the mind and heart of Judas, we do know that he had every opportunity to be saved. He was often warned by Jesus in the upper room; Jesus even washed Judas’ feet. Probably, Judas saw in Jesus the hope for Israel’s political freedom. If Jesus established His kingdom, Judas, as treasurer, would have had an important position. When Jesus repeatedly refused to become a political Messiah, Judas turned against Him. Satan found a willing tool in Judas. Satan put the ideas into Judas’s mind (John 13:2) and then entered into Judas to use him to betray Jesus to the enemy (John 13:27)

I believe it was his disappointment with Jesus that prompted Judas to entertain a betrayal mentality. I believe that when Judas initially followed Jesus, he was excited about the prospect of a kingdom being set up on earth. But when Jesus began leaving the area every time the multitude wanted to make Him king, perhaps Judas felt his heart sink. So, too, I see a tendency in people today to sell out when they get disappointed in Jesus. “I thought Jesus would bless my business if I became a Christian,” they say. “But what happened? I went bankrupt.” If we’re not careful, a Judas mentality will creep in and we’ll sell out.

Judas had a case of spiritual coronary disease—that is, his heart loved money and the power it wielded. And there must have been enough early symptoms of this to warn his friends. During a conversation between Jesus and his disciples in Capernaum, Jesus mentioned that one of the twelve he had chosen was “a devil” (John 6:70). But there is no record that the disciples probed further to see who Jesus was referring to. Perhaps they were afraid to ask, thinking that Jesus may have been speaking of them. Or maybe simple complacency kept them from asking more questions. In either case, the story of Judas’s failure is also the story of a group of believers who neglected their responsibility of loving one another and holding one another accountable. Your decision to follow Jesus is a personal one. But your growth as a believer must be within a community. Do not be a lone Ranger.

Judas’ great tragedy was his failure as one of the twelve apostles. Just think about the fact. Judas had been personally chosen by Christ. He had some great potential, some unique qualities that attracted the Lord. Therefore, the Lord gave Judas the most honored opportunity in all the world to develop his abilities—the privilege of walking with Him personally. Despite all the opportunities, Judas’ life was a terrible tragedy. He was so gifted and had so much opportunity, yet he lost it all. Why? Simply because he turned his back on the Lord Jesus Christ. He went to “the chief priests” of this earth and put his fate into their hands instead of placing his life into the hands of Christ. He had allowed his craving for more and more to blind him to the truth about Christ—that He was truly the Son of God who demanded loyalty, even when man could not understand the events and happenings that surrounded Him (see note—Mt. 26:15. This note will explain what is behind this statement.) Judas simply did not believe that Christ was truly God’s Son. Therefore, he did not give his heart and life to Christ—not really. He was a follower of Christ; he was even one of the first twelve apostles, but he was not a genuine believer who entrusted his life to Christ. Think of the people who have heard the truth of Christ time after time, yet they still have not trusted Him as the Son of God. Brothers, give it all up to follow Jesus.

Judas’ great potential and terrible tragedy teaches so much. Some thoughts to chew on: (1) It is not ability, but availability that counts. (2) Gifts do not assure permanent success; Christ alone assures permanent (eternal) success. (3) Walking among godly people does not assure salvation; allowing Christ to enter one’s heart and life is the only assurance of salvation. (4) Christ sees the potential of every man’s gifts. What is lacking is man’s seeing the necessity of Christ in the use of his gifts.

(5) Greed is a growing sin. It has to be fed to grow. Desire for things is normal and natural. It is when we feed the desire time and again, indulging and hoarding more and more, that our desire becomes sin and grows and grows.

(6)Covetousness, the desire for more and more, will eat at us just like a cancer. Judas had what he needed: food, clothing, housing, purpose, meaning, and significance. He did not go without. What was he after? The sin of lust—lusting for more and more—ate away at him, causing him to put his hand into the till.

(7)Many follow Christ not out of a deep conviction and belief but out of the desire to get what they can out of Him. They are religious in order to fit in with a so-called Christian society. They want to promote themselves or their business within the community. They believe to profess Christ and to belong to a church is the thing to do. But their profession in Christ does not hamper their human lusts at all. They live just as all other men live, paying little if any attention to true morality and just relationships, pure behavior and honest dealing, clean living and fair treatment.

The story of Judas is one of the most sobering in the Bible. It is the account of a good man gone sour, an honorable man becoming corrupt and selfish. In his life we see the perils of living in isolation rather than in community. And we are witnesses to the treachery of remorse rather then the cleansing power of humble repentance. These are powerful lessons to be learned. Let’s Pray.

Read Matthew 26:6–16. After several years of following Jesus and seeing many miracles with his own eyes, Judas did an unthinkable thing: He betrayed his friend, turning Jesus over to his archenemies. Do you think Judas did this because he no longer believed in Jesus’ authenticity, or was he trying to force Jesus to declare his messiahship and get on with the establishment of his earthly kingdom?

In either case, it’s clear that Judas was primarily concerned with himself—if Jesus was a fraud, at least Judas had scored a small bounty of thirty silver coins. And if Jesus was the Messiah, then Judas knew that he’d have a prominent place in the new kingdom. In what ways do you follow Jesus out of selfish intentions?

What can you learn from Jesus' response to Judas' betrayal, and how can it guide you when dealing with personal betrayals?

Read John 21:15–17. In a conversation with Simon Peter after the resurrection, Jesus summarized what our motives should be in loving and following him—something that Judas missed. What does Jesus tell Peter? How could this command be followed in your own Christian life?

GOING DEEPER

Read 1 Timothy 6:6–10. Judas was the treasurer for the disciples. How might this responsibility have clouded his thinking?

Having an income is essential to your survival. But what can you do to avoid “the love of money”?